Candidates Seeking Positions On Le Mars Community Board of Education
(Le Mars) — Election day is only about two weeks away, and citizens will be voting for both city positions, as well as board of education positions. This year, there are several races for both city council positions and school board positions. This week, KLEM radio is focusing our attention on those candidates seeking a position on the Le Mars Community Board of Education. There are four candidates seeking the position of school board member for District 1. They include: Lorraine DeJong, Gina Vacura, Mary Milner, and Ashley Knapp. Today we begin our candidate interviews by visiting with Ashley Knapp and learn about her reasons for running for the local school board. Knapp grew up in Le Mars and attended Le Mars Community School.
Knapp explains her interest in the school district and her reasons for seeking a position with the Le Mars Community Board of Education.
Knapp says, if elected, she would like to focus some attention on the school district’s infrastructure system.
Knapp says she wants to always be evaluating the school’s curriculum, and to make certain our students are properly prepared and well educated.
We continue our school board candidate profiles by visiting with Lorraine DeJong. DeJong grew up in the Le Mars area, and was a Middle School teacher at Le Mars Community for more than 20 years, and having more than 30 years in education. She says her background with education gives her a better perspective for being a member of the Board of Education.
DeJong says she is proud to have a fourth generation of her family attend the Le Mars Community Schools. She has grandchildren attending Kindergarten and Second grade. DeJong says she wants to insure a great learning environment for our students, and to make certain the school’s financials are sound.
DeJong says it would be her goal to see that Le Mars Community hires the very best top-notch educators to continue the tradition of education excellence.
The former teacher, now school board candidate, says Le Mars Community has a great educational program, and is often the envy of other school districts.
DeJong says she wants voters to know she will listen to their concerns, and be a voice for them at school board meetings.
All residents living within the Le Mars Community School District are eligible to vote for candidates of the separate districts that comprise of the entire school district. Election day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4th. Today, Monday, October 18th is the last day a requested absentee ballot can be mailed to registered voters.
NWREC And NIPCO Provide Financing Assistance To City Of Le Mars To Purchase Land For Industrial Park Expansion
(Le Mars, Iowa) — One of the Touchstone Energy® core values is “Commitment to Community” and as Touchstone Energy electric cooperatives, North West Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) and its wholesale power provider, Northwest Iowa Power Cooperative (NIPCO), is proud to partner with the communities they serve to spark economic and community development projects and progress in northwest Iowa. In October, North West REC and NIPCO provided lending assistance to the City of Le Mars to support its acquisition of almost 237 acres of land located in Plymouth County. The parcel will expand the existing Le Mars Industrial Park to the south which will allow for additional commercial growth in that area. NIPCO, an electric generation and transmission cooperative that serves western Iowa, along with its member, North West REC, an electric distribution cooperative that serves rural electric consumers in the Iowa counties of Ida, O’Brien, Plymouth, and Sioux, each tapped their economic development loan programs to contribute a total of $800,000 in low interest loans to assist with the total purchase and development of the sites for future sale. This most recent acquisition of land, the fourth time the Le Mars Industrial Park has expanded its footprint, demonstrates the role Le Mars plays in promoting a viable and robust commercial economy in western Iowa.
Pictured From left to right: City Councilman Rex Knapp, Lyle Korver, Executive Director with NWREC; Angela Catton, Marketing and Development Director with NIPCO, Jason Vacura, City Administrator; and Jacob Widman, City Financial Director.
Iowa DCI Identifies Davenport Officer Who Shot Wanted Man To Death
(Davenport, IA) — The Iowa Department of Criminal Investigation has identified the officer who shot a wanted man to death last week. The incident happened Wednesday afternoon in Davenport. Investigators say Officer Mason Roth is a four-year veteran of the Davenport Police Department. He is reportedly cooperating with the D-C-I investigation. A news release says the facts and circumstances of the case will be provided to the Scott County Attorney’s Office for review when the investigation is complete.
Federal Judge Sentences Iowa Man To Life In Prison For Murder
(Cedar Rapids, IA) — A federal judge has sentenced an Iowa man to life in prison for killing a dealer during a drug-related robbery. The shooting happened at a farmhouse in Ely in 2014. Forty-nine-year-old Matthew Robbins was convicted in July. The evidence offered during his trial showed Robbins wasn’t happy with the quality of meth he had been buying from the victim. Prosecutors said he lured 51-year-old James Booher to the farmhouse so he could rob him of meth and about 150 dollars in cash before shooting him to death. Robbins is the third person sentenced for killing Booher.
Farmers, Dealers Worried About What Deere Strike Will Mean For Them
(Undated) — Farmers and agri-business owners all over the Midwest are worried about what the strike by 10 thousand John Deere and Company employees will mean for them. That strike started last week at 14 factories in five states, including Iowa. Farmers say they’re worried about what happens if their machinery breaks down and they can’t get the parts they need. That would be disastrous at harvest time. Business owners have already been dealing with supply chain interruptions due to the coronavirus pandemic. They say this situation just complicates things for them – especially if the strike runs on for very long.
